Infantino’s FIFA broadcast plan faces mounting opposition from Asia

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has rejected FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s proposal to create a new organisation to sell World Cup broadcasting rights, adding further pressure to a project already opposed by UEFA and CONCACAF.

In a statement, the AFC said it had “deep concern” about the proposed creation of the FFE, a new entity in which private investors could acquire stakes. The confederation said the divisions caused by the plan showed that it did not have enough support across world football.

The AFC’s intervention means three major football organisations have now expressed opposition to the proposal. UEFA has called for a boycott of FIFA competitions, while CONCACAF has also resisted the project’s implementation.

The prospect of a boycott of the World Cup is now being seriously considered, according to the AFC. It said the global game should never have reached a point where such an outcome was possible.

The confederation added that it supported the objections already raised by UEFA and CONCACAF, making clear that it did not back Infantino’s plans in their current form.

The dispute centres on the proposed FFE and its potential role in the commercial distribution of World Cup media rights. The plan would allow private investors to take shares in the new organisation, a structure that has prompted concern among football’s governing bodies.

The AFC said the level of disagreement within the sport meant the proposal lacked the broad support needed to move forward. Its comments represent a significant challenge to Infantino because of the voting relationship between the three confederations.

Together, UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF hold enough votes under FIFA’s combined voting system to prevent Infantino from securing the required 50% majority among the 211 associations affiliated with world football’s governing body.

As a result, the proposal appears fragile in its present form and is not expected to be implemented.

The opposition marks a fresh setback for Infantino’s plans to reshape the way World Cup broadcasting rights are sold. With UEFA, CONCACAF and now the AFC objecting, the proposal faces resistance from a substantial section of FIFA’s membership before it can be put into practice.

The AFC’s statement also underlines the seriousness of the disagreement. Rather than being limited to concerns about the proposed commercial structure, the dispute has developed into a wider crisis of confidence, with the possibility of a boycott of the World Cup now part of the debate.

For the moment, the combined position of the three confederations leaves Infantino appearing unable to win the vote required to approve the project. Without that majority, the FFE plan cannot proceed in its current form.